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John Garner: 2012 Diesel Power Challenge Competitor

1978 Ford F-350, 5.9L Cummins

The hulking-green Ford you see before you received more votes than any other truck in this year’s Diesel Power Challenge. We think we know why the readers of Diesel Power chose John Garner’s ’78 Ford F-350 to compete in the event: They’re clearly all diesel-conversion crazy. Since diesel engines were never installed in our beloved classic trucks, enthusiasts like John have to take it upon themselves to make it right. Last year, Rocky Horn took First Place in his Ford F-350 (powered by a 5.9L Cummins), so the precedent has been set for John to make a run at it this year in this Ford.

Gas-To-Diesel Conversion
John got his start in motorsports by drag racing gasoline-powered cars. Then, in the ’90s, he began building this ’78 Ford pickup. Yet long before his truck was diesel-powered, it actually had a 521ci big-block Ford under the hood. John figured he had a pretty potent package, and he should have known, as he owned his own dyno-tuning shop. But then he let a bunch of diesel trucks into his place to run on the rollers. One by one, each truck laid down a huge torque number, but to John’s surprise each diesel also made a ton of horsepower. Though he didn’t run his Ford that day, if he had, his big-block would’ve lost to every single diesel truck that competed on his dyno. After that experience, his mind was made up that a diesel was going in his pickup.

Just Getting There Is Half the Battle
Perhaps next year we’ll send GoPro cameras to all the competitors so they can chronicle the epic feats that go into getting to the Diesel Power Challenge. John Garner drove his 5.9L Cummins-powered ’97 Newman motorhome 4,100 miles to get to Colorado. During that trip, he had 5 flats, had to purchase 11 new tires, and ran into fierce sand, wind, and snowstorms. Along the way, he stopped at his son’s college graduation and even found time to add a larger intercooler to his Ford.